Practice Makes Perfect - Or Does It?

Excuse the slightly strange title for this post but it is the phrase from every music teacher's mouth. 'Practice makes perfect' a catchphrase so often used in the musical world that it becomes engraved into every musicians' concious. However Jim and I were discussing all of this. Practice helps yes, but can we ever get to being totally satisfied with our playing ability? An interesting question I hear you ask.

On most days, once I've taken a look at the huge pile of work I have to do and come to the conclusion I won't get any of it done, I pick up my guitar (or some drum sticks, or even a pad and paper) and play. Why? Simply because we (scientifically proven) get pleasure from playing music. The ability to play and listen to music releases certain chemicals in the brain resulting in the feeling of 'having fun' - if ya like. Practising though can drive us so close to insanity sometimes it is atleast a fraction unhealthy. Should we though just be satisfied with how good we are at playing? Should we stop practising because we hate it?

No. Is the correct answer to the question my friends. Practise is a fantastic thing because in short, it makes us better. There is no fancy way of putting it. Learning a scale, a chord, a sequence or a new rhythmic pattern or indeed whatever, is going to help you on that journey to getting better and better.

Take a quick thought now. Think of the first time you played your instrument, whatever it is. Think how terrible you were - how you had little concept of rhythm or pitch. Now look at what you can play. Maybe you're a great sweep picker, great improviser or a great rhythm. Nonetheless you've come a long way no doubt. And so you would never consider stopping practising once you've come all that way.

Here is the truth - practice doesn't make perfect - it just makes you better and better and better and better. There is no limit to your ability apart from yourself. Everytime you pick up that guitar (or any instrument for that matter) you improve. Even on days where everything you play sounds like a fat man falling down stairs choking on a sandwich. Those days you learn from mistakes. You can never be perfect at playing, and this is why music is amazing. Its not like completing a game. If you like, its as if you're playing an eternal never ending game. The only thing stopping you, is you.

So next time your teacher says to you  'practice makes perfect', tell them 'no it won't', because the awesome thing is never being perfect. Keep searching for that extra bit.

Practice is fun my friends! As is beer for that matter so I'm going for a cold one.

Peace, Linus

3 New 2012 Releases & *Update* 12/02/12

Hey y'all! Before we crack on with this post just a quick update. Jim and I are currently working on a project with my band and we're making a few videos along the way so check part 1 out here and part 2 should be up in the next few days. Also we'll hopefully be shooting a batch more of reviews in the coming weeks so stay tuned.

Anyway...on with the blog. 

Recently the music production world went crazy for a few days in Anaheim, California. The NAMM (an enormous show where all the biggest and smallest names in gear production go to show off their stuff) show hit and my word if there was place I could go in the world it would be there.

Sadly there was no way I could go, its not open to the public. Nevertheless though I've picked out 3 products that will have been noticed by many at NAMM. 

1. MXR Custom Badass Modified Overdrive - this was voted best guitar pedal of NAMM 2012 and you haven't heard a good overdrive pedal 'till you've heard this. Its got real tube like overdrive quality. MXR took a standard overdrive circuit and (as they call it) 'hotrodded' it. Some of the features include True Bypass, EQ and a cool boost at 100Hz to give you an added punch to your tone. From what i've heard from this it sounds incredible and when they release it in the UK I'm going to do my best to get my hands on one. Last thing - it looks so mindblowingly awesome! 

      2. Fender Select Series 2012 - 'Select instruments for Select individuals' as Fender put it. These are some of the best looking guitars on the block at the moment (in my opinion). They're an all new design, based up on the existing Strat, Tele, P and J Basses. It seems at the moment Fender on a big production drive to capitalize on Gibson's lawsuit problems and the Select series is driving it. Brand new pick ups, necks and many come with locking tuners. They were a hit at NAMM with many. Some 'true' Fenders will outcast them and admittedly they are rather pricey, but I think they could be a real one to look out for. 

        3. Orange Micro Terror - we use Jim's Orange Tiny Terror a lot at Jimstudios and it's a wicked sounding amp for something of its size. And now, Orange have gone one step further. NAMM was full of 'pocket' and 'baby' heads this year, it does appear to be the new craze as I pointed out in the a blog several months ago. This Micro Terror has a similar sound to the Tiny Terror series but is even more portable and best of all it costs £99 - an absolute bargain for a tube amp. Of course it only has one valve and its not going to be able to kick out the same kind of volume as its bigger brothers, but a good practice amp? I think so!

So there you have it, 3 brand new releases for 2012 that will keep you playing till the cows come home. Enjoy!

Peace, Linus

Amateur Recording Project

This is quite an exciting blog for me. After a quick reshuffle in my band, I've taken over as lead singer, we decided we needed to get some recordings down. In the past I've always considered booking a studio or asking someone with plenty of experience to help engineer and produce. This time, I turned to myself, and our good friend Jim. This blog is going to be all about our current project, and how you can go about your own. 

There are 5 key stages to any good recording - writing, planning, tracking, mixing, mastering.

1. Writing - this doesn't involve your producer at all really. Its so important that your band (or artist) is familiar and comfortable with the song they're recording. The reason being, they can play to the best of their ability without thinking too hard about what they're actually playing. Don't go trying to record a song you wrote an hour earlier - it's going to be a real headache. 
2. Planning - next up is a stage many people miss out and I think its really important. If you plan out your recording, when things are going to be recording, what mics you'll use, how long its all going to take (realistically). Here, bring your producer into play. Let them know about the song and what your ideas are. Jim and I talked in a lot of depth about what ideas I had for the song and how we'd get the best recording. Plan it out and you're recording is guaranteed to be improved from a shabbily planned affair. 
3. Tracking - probably the most amusing part of recording, but also the most stressful if you're time pressured. I could write you a 10,000 essay about tracking but the most important thing is to be well planned and give yourself time. If you've followed the past 2 'phases' then you'll have fewer problems with tracking. But quite regularly on amateur recording you're likely to have problems. When we recorded kit for our track it took Jim and I a good 30 minutes to sort out why we couldn't get any sound from the headphone output. These little slips can compromise a recording massively. Spend some time also placing mics and getting the correct sound - don't just rely on EQ for the best results. 
4. Mixing - once you've got all your tracks down you can start to mix. This involves levelling your tracks (turning them up and down to balance all the instruments), EQing and adding FX. At this point you're somewhat on your own because it vastly depends upon the nature of the recording and the quality of it. Spend some time mixing as well, making sure you open up plenty of space in the mix and ensuring everything you've recorded can be heard. Aim for some subtle little parts that will make your recording stand out. If you have time and you're not happy with something, go back and re-record or add parts. Extra percussion, guitar parts etc can make the world of difference. 
5. Mastering - something I understand very little about. What I do know is is that your mix needs to be great by the time you master it. You don't want to be relying on mastering to make it sound good for the simple reason that good mastering is something difficult to master (oh I'm so amusing...). I suggest if you really want to get into mastering I'm not the person to ask - Jim is going to be mastering my new track whilst I shout at him to tell him to make it sound better!

This is a really brief summary about amateur recording. But if everything is well planned you're more than capable of doing a decent recording (if you know enough about recording in the first place). Keep an eye for the videos of us recording the new single and post any questions below.

Peace, Linus

The Power of Music

Alright, this week there is no blog on sound, guitars, playing, technique...anything like that. No this week, I'm going to be a little philosophical.

A great man once said - "Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music"

This man would've been ordinary had it not been for music. This man would've ended up in the army had it not been for music. This man wouldn't have changed lives had it not been for music. Indeed, this man would not have changed the world had it not been for music. 

Who this man was is irrelevant for what I'm talking about. You see there is something incredibly special about music - there is nothing in the world quite like it. Most humans cannot speak more than one language fluently and yet they can hear a peace of music and be equally 'wowed' by it in the same way that another would. Music is the most powerful thing on earth. Fact. 

I challenge you to name one other phenomena on this earth that can make every hair on your body stand upon end simply from what you hear. There is nothing that can make you just sit back and think 'that is truly mind blowing' - it is a concept that is remarkable. That humans can make music, record music, write music and of course appreciate music is beyond belief. Many people would look at a piece of literature or art and be completely unmoved by it. But I'd place a high bet that there are very few people who aren't moved by each of these pieces of music. They are all completely individual in their own way. And yet all 3 of them so powerful. 

One

Two

Three

If you are not moved by any of these pieces - and moved does not mean saddened or upsetting - then its safe to say there is something not quite right with you. Music has this power. Music has something that humanity cannot quite put its finger on. No science can fully explain why we feel so connected why people have lived solely because of a love of music. You do not need to know the story behind each of those pieces to know that they have such an emotion behind them. Regardless, I shall explain.

One - was Lux Aurumque by Eric Whitacre. Very little is said about the meaning of the piece (in fact it is a poem written by Edward Esch) but what is astonishing is that the recording is 185 people who recorded themselves singing the piece. From all over the world people created this - not only is the piece a feat of incredible standards but the recording is simply fantastic. Humanity can do this? What else?

Two - was So Far Away by Avenged Sevenfold. It was written after the death of their drummer Jimmy Sullivan. Its 5:27 long and in that time you can experience the kind of pain and anxiety that the band and his family must feel. The emotion that comes across in that short time makes your spine shake. RIP 

Three - was Free Bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Perhaps the greatest rock song ever written? The meaning behind the song is somewhat irrelevant but the shear epicness and musical talent expressed in this song is beyond belief. Most of the band tragically died in a plane crash and a song of this nature may never be written again. But the song itself is a memory of the band. 

In a world of hatred and fear there are very few comforting notions. Music is without a doubt humanity's greatest trait and my it continue until the end of time. Peace, Linus

 "Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music" - Jimi Hendrix 


Peace, Linus

Room Acoustics - Part 2 (Recording with Acoustics)

Hope you've all enjoyed reading part 1 of this blog, if you haven't, check it out first (it'll make me feel happy even if you do know it all). Recording acoustics is absolutely crucial to a good recording. End of. But what makes great acoustics for recording? Well there you have a question.

Remember how I said in the last post that all rooms have acoustics? Its never more prominent in recording because here we are listening to back to the sound, over, and over...and over again. When you're playing live, you can sometimes get away with playing against your acoustics. In recording its imperative that you use them to your advantage OR do something to change them. But more on that later. First things first though.

Take a look at these two images.








Quite clearly what we can see is a very very well acoustically managed room and well, a rather upmarket looking hotel toilet block. Lets start in the toilet. If you've ever noticed it, toilets have an extremely harsh acoustic. They're echo-y and aside from the smell probably not the best place to record. Or are they? There's a couple of famous examples of sections of recordings being made in a toilet. Indeed there is a clip of Muse recording finger clicks for their song Time Is Running Out in the bathroom. The bathroom gives off a certain acoustic that might work well occasionally, but not all the time.

Im using it as a very extreme example. But its possible that if you're making your own little studio (or maybe even building a huge multimillion pound one) that the acoustics of your recording room are very harsh. Take a look now at the picture on the left. Look at all the carpet, all the stuff on the walls, all the wood on the ceiling. What these properties do is absorb sound - unlike your bathroom walls which are going to reflect it back. This acoustic treatment is going to benefit the recording hugely. What it does is it allows your sound engineer to capture the perfect sound of just the instrument. He/she doesn't have to compromise the quality of the recording by taking into account a slightly dodgy acoustic. This is why when you see professional recording studios they're covered in insulation and acoustic treatment (its not just to keep the neighbours happy)

So how can you test your room and how should you treat it? Well the chances are you can't afford a huge amount of treatment. A few decent acoustic panels is going to cost you at least a couple of hundred pounds. But putting them in the right place can benefit you hugely. First off you want to do some clapping. This short sound will allow you to hear if your room is reverberating much. If its not, don't bother with any acoustic panels. If you've got some carpet lying around, put it up against any walls that are near the instrument you're recording. If your room happens to be terrible but you can't afford much, carpet is a great place to start. However, if you do have some money proper acoustic treatment works wonders. I can't explain it all in great detail but this here article is fantastic.

Your only other option for this sort of problem is moving rooms! I know when we record at our school we try not to record actually in the studio because the walls are horrible.

Happy acoustic-ing people! Any questions, leave a comment and we'll get back to you.

Peace, Linus

Room Acoustics - Part 1 (Playing with Acoustics)

For those of you who are unaware of what acoustics are, the simple definition is - the properties or qualities of a room or building that determine how sound is transmitted in it. Ok the pedantic of you will realise that isn't simple. We all know that acoustic is about making noise (acoustic guitars and acoustic drums are loud!) but what do we mean when we say rooms have acoustics?

All rooms have acoustics. This is a simple fact because they have walls. When you make a sound it 'bounces' of the wall and this is one of the ways we hear it. You'll all be familiar with the concept of echo, or as most of us musicians know it - reverb. This is the reverberation of the sound off the walls and our ears hear it slightly later with a slightly different sound. So what is the importance of acoustics? Well...

Like I said all rooms have acoustics so the venue you're playing/or recording in has to be taken into account. This being part 1 we're going to just talk about playing. Now I am to be permitted some slight bragging rights at this point, but hear me out. I sang in Westminster Abbey in London a few months ago, and the acoustics were simply incredible. It rang around the place for about 10 seconds after. As a result, we had to sing precisely because every mistake was echoed for what felt like an age.

Now lets move back to a more likely scenario. Say your band is playing in quite a big venue and its got what we'd call 'helpful' acoustics (it gives lots of reverb). There's certain things that you need to take into account. Your drummer is the worst one, especially un-miced. He/she is going to be seriously loud so you need to tell them (and being a drummer this is a horrible thing to hear) play a little quieter. However that isn't the only thing. Remember how I was saying in Westminster Abbey things sounded huge? Well they could've easily sounded muddled. With a band, this is a definite issue. So you're gonna want your guitarist to back off his distortion in particular.

You also want to try and use these acoustics. Playing in a dry room can be horrible (and by dry I mean very little acoustic feedback) so you want to use these nice acoustics you've been given. For example, tone down any reverb on your clean tones because they're going to sound golden in a big room. Your singer should revel in the occasion - good natural reverb can make a good singer sound fantastic. It'll make your band sound huge if you do it right!

Sadly though and certainly for most amateur bands, the majority of gigs will be in a pub/bar/shed. Unless the bar happens to be enormous your acoustics aren't going to be anything special. And to make matters worse the venue is probably going to be tiny! This means yet again you'll have to have a quiet word with the drummer and tell him to back off a bit. Guitarists, try not to let your amps get too top-endy. Because they're being cranked up towards 11 they tend to get a bit on the high-end side. A really tiny, distorted guitarist will sound dreadful and is often the mark of a bad band.

Sound checking is crucial. If you've got an engineer working with you, listen to them. Also remember that what you hear on stage is not what you hear off stage. So work hard to get your sound right and use that room well. If you happen to be outside, the sound is going to get a bit lost the chances are so make sure its nice and loud (oh you can see the grin on the drummers face) but make it clean!

Hope some of this helps.

Peace, Linus

*Update* 04/01/12

Welcome to the year we die good people! And happy new year from Jim Studios! We just wanted to let you know what we're gonna be getting up to early 2012.

First off, Jim and Adam recorded a series of videos including this jam and a review of the Boss Compressor. Our aim is to try and release a new video and a new blog post every two weeks (but bare with us if that happens slightly irregularly - we're busy guys).

Hopefully in the next few days we're going to be starting on a series of videos on micing techniques and recording techniques. We're starting with acoustic and electric guitar micing.

But the most exciting thing is a JIM STUDIOS PROJECT that is now in the pipeline and hopefully you're gonna love.

That's all from us, a happy new year to you all, make it a good'en

Peace, Linus